what Mormons do before marriage

kissing rugby, originally uploaded by emgillz.

Well, I joined the show choir Latter-Day Voices for a boy who I never hooked up with, but Bro. Salmond and the gang renewed, edified, brightened and changed my life all the same. I'm finally home from a ruthless seven days of performances at seminaries and stake centers from 5:45 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. A few of us joked around about wondering what zones and districts we belonged to because we hadn't felt so physically and spiritually tired and cut off from the world since serving missions. Or eaten so much food at church members' houses.

We stayed each night with a different host family with different choir members. I honestly haven't had as much fun in months. Kissing rugby in the Smithfield seminary was Bro. Salmond's idea and my favorite parts of this picture are the facial expressions and LeAnn's open mouth from The Chair. I think I look sort of fat in this picture, but I'm posting it anyway.

I'm trying to get a job in Logan--it's a marketing position.....I'd be writing creative human interest stories about fishermen and field biologists who use these rugged computers you can chuck into rivers and throw against cliff walls and let bears eat and still check your email afterward. I WANT THIS JOB. But I haven't been called for an interview yet, so...............???? I'd love to stay in Logan. My roommates whom I adore from this year are moving into a house which I just found out is the EXACT house I moved into the fall of 2003. What are the odds, really? And they need another roommate.

And I don't think I'm going to Japan anymore. I want to see my little brother turn 16. I don't want to miss that kind of stuff anymore. I'll go to Japan with Nicole, Ali, and Yessica next summer. Before going back to school. And I'm going to restring my banjo. And I'm coming to Pennsylvania in June to see Aunt Lori and Jen Russell Parkins. That's the update. Nothing too literary about this post........I suppose I always feel like making mass contacts before heading out on the trail just because deep down I feel like I might not come back each time. Like getting on a plane, getting on the suburban that takes me into the wilderness is exciting and foreboding--anything can happen. So here's my shout-out to the internet, hey. I'm off to air out the old wool blanket, duct tape up my tarp, sharpen the machete, and head to bed.

Oh, and I won that round of kissing rugby. As if you wondered otherwise.